COVID-19: Transmission remains high as Brown County moves out of mask recommendation

Brooks Sutherland, Cincinnati Enquirer
·1 min read
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COVID-19 community levels as of Dec. 16, 2022.
COVID-19 community levels as of Dec. 16, 2022.

The indoor mask recommendation for Brown County was short lived as its COVID-19 community level dropped back down to medium, the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows.

Brown County spent one week with the highest community level as determined by the CDC based on the number of hospital beds being used, hospital admissions and the total number of new COVID-19 cases per population in a particular area. The CDC updates the community level for each U.S. county each Thursday.

A high community level in the CDC ratings brings a recommendation to wear masks indoors and on public transit. A medium level brings that recommendation for those with chronic illnesses and weak immune systems. People in counties with low levels should proceed as normal with caution.

In addition, COVID-19 transmission rates are currently at the highest level in 13 of the region’s 16 counties. Hospitalizations decreased slightly but capacity remains a concern in the region. The region's positivity rate also increased to 10.4% this week, up from 8.8% a week prior.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: COVID-19 transmission remains high as Brown County community level drops